Last group of refugees leave Sampit<\/p>\n
SAMPIT, Central Kalimantan (JP): The last remaining refugees
\nsheltering in camps here as a result of the bloody ethnic riot
\nhave been officially evacuated and transported by ship to East
\nJava.<\/p>\n
The exact number that were remaining is still sketchy, but
\nofficials claimed that the last batch of about 4,500 refugees
\nwere evacuated Wednesday evening aboard the Tilongkabila ship
\nbound for Surabaya.<\/p>\n
The latest departure brings the number of evacuated to nearly
\n51,500 since the ethnic violence involving mainly Madurese
\nmigrants and local Dayaks erupted three weeks ago.<\/p>\n
The ethnic violence has claimed some 400 deaths.<\/p>\n
East Kotawaringin Regent Wahyudi K. Anwar said in Sampit that
\nofficials will now focus on locating those who fled to the
\njungles following the violence.<\/p>\n
The refugees, mostly migrant Madurese settlers, continue to
\nhide in fear of Dayak reprisals.<\/p>\n
But the evacuation was not without incident as a refugee
\napparently ran amok and torched five houses.<\/p>\n
Witnesses said that after leaving the refugee camp looking
\ndistressed and walking about two-kilometers the man suddenly
\nstarted to burn several empty houses.<\/p>\n
It evoked the ire of several locals who then attacked and
\nkilled him.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile in Sampang, Madura Island, it was reported that at
\nleast five people have died in temporary camps set up to
\naccommodate some 31,000 refugees who fled Central Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
Sampang Regent Secretary Erdit Herumandi said that at least
\nthree of the deaths were infants due to diarrhea while two were
\nadults caused by respiratory problems and a stress-related heart
\nattack.<\/p>\n
\"According to our medical team the infants who died did not
\nget enough clean water or milk. The adult who had a heart attack
\nwas in shock because he lost all his belongings,\" Erdit remarked.<\/p>\n
The fate of the refugees is in limbo, as hope of their return
\nto Central Kalimantan remains a long way off.<\/p>\n
The Central Kalimantan chairman of the Indonesian Ulemas
\nCouncil Abdul Hadi Ridwan, who is a Dayak, admitted that no one
\ncan guarantee the safety of Madurese should they return.<\/p>\n
Separately in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan governor Sjahril
\nDarham said he plans to have all Kalimantan governors (East,
\nWest, Central and South) and the East Java governor meet together
\nto discuss the aftermath of the mayhem.<\/p>\n
\"We don't want any more violence. There are many Kalimantan
\npeople living in East Java and there are many East Javanese,
\nincluding Madurese, living in Kalimantan. They all must be
\nprotected,\" Darham said, while adding that he had received
\nreports from Malang, East Java, that East Kalimantan students
\nliving there had been intimidated.<\/p>\n
Ritual<\/p>\n
Meanwhile in Jakarta, one of the suspects in the Sampit riots
\ntold police at the National Police Headquarters that the riots
\nwere preceded by a \"ritual ceremony which went terribly wrong.\"<\/p>\n
National Police chief of detectives Insp. Gen. Engkesman
\nHillep identified the suspect only as Fash who was chief of the
\nplanning, research and development division at the East
\nKotawaringin administration.<\/p>\n
\"Fash told us that on Feb. 17, he had paid Rp 15 million to
\ninitiate the riots, which his 30 friends caused on Feb. 18. Fash
\nhimself was at Pangkalan Bun in West Kotawaringin on Feb. 18,\"
\nEngkesman told reporters.<\/p>\n
\"Fash said that it had all started with clashes in
\nKarengpangi, Sampit, at which the Dayaks and the Madurese had
\nserious misunderstandings in December.\"<\/p>\n
Engkesman said that after the clashes in December, Madurese
\nleaders wanted to make peace by performing \"a peace ceremony to
\nwhich Dayaks would be invited.\"<\/p>\n
But apparently they performed the wrong ritual \"and worse
\nstill, it was actually a signal for war.\"<\/p>\n
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Didi Widayadi said the
\nofficial police figure of fatalities was 371, despite earlier
\nclaims that it had reached 500.<\/p>\n
He added that 1,192 homes were burned down, 748 homes were
\ndamaged, and 16 cars, 43 motorcycles and 114 pedicabs were
\ndestroyed.<\/p>\n
Didi also said that 45 people have been detained, three of
\nwhom were being questioned as suspects at the National Police
\nHeadquarters.<\/p>\n
He added that police have also confiscated 1,347 weapons,
\nwhich consist mostly of spears, mandau swords, machetes, sickles,
\nkeris daggers, knives, and 66 homemade bombs.<\/p>\n
\"Of the bombs, 18 were found in Sampit and 48 in
\nPalangkaraya,\" Didi said. (32\/nur\/ylt\/sur\/edt\/dja)<\/p>",
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